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UK intervention in Mali is strategy for future, says defence secretaryhttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jan/29/uk-intervention-mali-strategy-future
Philip Hammond says Britain will devote more resources to help other weak states as fears of mission creep grow<p>The government is presenting its decision to deploy around 240 troops to Mali and a number of other west African countries as a model for the future. It will be &quot;intervention light&quot;, it hopes.</p><p>The defence secretary, Philip Hammond, told the Commons on Tuesday Britain would devote more resources to &quot;upstream capacity&quot; – helping weak states look after themselves, rather than sending heavily armed ground troops.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jan/29/uk-intervention-mali-strategy-future">Continue reading...</a>Defence policyForeign policyMaliPhilip HammondUK newsAfricaWorld newsPoliticsMilitaryTue, 29 Jan 2013 17:25:34 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jan/29/uk-intervention-mali-strategy-futureReuters TVPhilip Hammond speaks to parliament about plans to deploy military personnel to Mali and west Africa. Photograph: Reuters TVReuters TVPhilip Hammond speaks to parliament about plans to deploy military personnel to Mali and west Africa. Photograph: Reuters TVRichard Norton-Taylor2013-01-29T17:25:34ZCameron rhetoric on Al-Qaida in Africa could backfirehttp://www.theguardian.com/world/defence-and-security-blog/2013/jan/21/al-qaida-terror-africa
• crusader talk can only incite jihadists<br />• use intelligence and surveillance assets, not ground troops<br />• recognise needs of population<p>David Cameron's shrill response to the hostage crisis in Algeria is in danger of being dangerously counter productive. Crusader-sounding rhetoric might even be an incitement to those extremists vying for influence and recognition in their jihad against the west.</p><p>&quot;What we face is an extremist, Islamist, violent al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group. Just as we had to deal with that in Pakistan and Afghanistan, so the world neds to come together to deal with this threat in north Africa &quot;, Cameron said on Sunday. &quot;This a global threat and it will require a global response&quot;, he said. &quot;It will require a response that is about years, even decades, rather than months&quot;.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/defence-and-security-blog/2013/jan/21/al-qaida-terror-africa">Continue reading...</a>Al-QaidaAlgeriaCounter-terrorism policyMilitaryAfricaDavid CameronMon, 21 Jan 2013 17:10:23 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/world/defence-and-security-blog/2013/jan/21/al-qaida-terror-africaAPA group of people believed to be hostages kneel in the sand with their hands in the air at an unknown location in Algeria. Photograph: APAPA group of people believed to be hostages kneel in the sand with their hands in the air at an unknown location in Algeria. David Cameron is making a statement on the hostage crisis in the Commons this afternoon. Photograph: APRichard Norton-Taylor2013-01-21T17:10:23ZMali: the danger of mission creep on al-Qaida's new frontierhttp://www.theguardian.com/world/defence-and-security-blog/2013/jan/15/mali-uk-al-qaida
• spooks worried about Islamist influence in west Africa<br />• US and UK back French troop deployment<p>From Afghanistan to Mali. In one bound western troops have bypassed Yeman and Somalia and are being deployed against Islamist forces which have been sweeping across the ungoverned spaces of the Sahara.</p><p>Mali is the new frontier against Islamist groups which have made much of their links to al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/defence-and-security-blog/2013/jan/15/mali-uk-al-qaida">Continue reading...</a>MaliAfricaAl-QaidaFranceUK newsBoko HaramDefence policyWorld newsTue, 15 Jan 2013 13:45:57 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/world/defence-and-security-blog/2013/jan/15/mali-uk-al-qaidaERIC FEFERBERG/AFP/Getty ImagesFrench soldiers at the 101 military airbase near Bamako, before their deployment in north of Mali. Photograph: Eric Feferberg/AFP/Getty ImagesERIC FEFERBERG/AFP/Getty ImagesFrench soldiers from 2nd RIMA, arriving from France, stand at the 101 military airbase near Bamako, before their deployment in north of Mali. France is using air and ground power in a joint offensive with Malian soldiers against hardline Islamist groups controlling northern Mali. Photograph: Eric Feferberg/AFP/Getty ImagesRichard Norton-Taylor2013-01-15T13:45:57ZBritain seemed to approve plot says ex SAS mercenary leaderhttp://www.theguardian.com/world/defence-and-security-blog/2011/nov/01/mercenaries-plot-africa
British mercenary suggests many knew of coup plot<br />Plan to topple Equatorial Guinea president no secret, says Mann<p>That &quot;dog of war&quot;, ex-Etonian, and SAS soldier, Simon Mann, seemed pretty chuffed on Tuesday to be invited to talk about his escapades, notably his failed attempt to overthrow the president of Equatorial Guinea in 2004.</p><p>As well he might have been, for his host was Chatham House, previously known as the Royal Institute of International Affairs. An unlikely establishment -Mann described it as &quot;ground zero of informed opinion&quot;- to help promote his book, Cry Havoc, it may be thought.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/defence-and-security-blog/2011/nov/01/mercenaries-plot-africa">Continue reading...</a>AfricaMilitaryTue, 01 Nov 2011 18:49:36 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/world/defence-and-security-blog/2011/nov/01/mercenaries-plot-africaNeal FoxSimon Mann. Photograph: Neal FoxNeal FoxSimon Mann. Photograph: Neal FoxRichard Norton-Taylor2011-11-01T18:49:36Z